There have been many previously known aerial projectiles which have been rotatably thrown or propelled through the air. Typical examples include footballs, so-called "Frisbee" flying saucers, so-called "Whiffle" balls, and boomerangs.
These projectiles, and other similar projectiles are intended to have gliding or exaggerated flight paths. However, they are either quite heavy, difficult to catch, difficult to keep on a level, straight line course, or difficult to throw very far. None of these projectiles is both lightweight and capable of achieving a long, level, straight line flight path which concludes with a soft landing.
It is an object of the preferred embodiment of this invention to provide a lightweight aerial projectile adapted to be rotated and to be propelled forwardly. The projectile is a rotary wing device which rotates forwardly like an airplane propeller; develops vertical lift like a helicopter rotor; sustains auto-rotational spin like a windmill; conserves its kinetic energy like a flywheel; automatically self-adjusts its pitch angle to optimize vertical lift generation; is aerodynamically self-stabilizing; and utilizes highly efficient, low drag wing elements. These properties impart to the device a virtually straight line flight trajectory and very long range.
It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary wing device which constitutes a major aeronautical advance, and which has an extremely wide array of diverse applications such as, but not limited to, free-flight projectiles, fixed or tethered lifting devices, windmills and aircraft. Most of the foregoing could either be non-powered or powered.
It is another object of this invention to provide an aerial toy which is small, lightweight, inexpensive to manufacture, safe and fun to play with.